in association with Welcome ‘We all have our own perception of life. Not only do we see, hear and taste differently but we have our own personal experiences, emotions and memory. This makes the world of eating a very exciting place – and England is one of the most exciting places to eat right now. We have a rich heritage of traditional food, recipes that have been adapted and handed down through the generations, and ingredients produced with immense care and skill. 'Adding to our great traditions, our chefs are producing fine cuisine inspired by the greatest innovators of France, Spain, Italy and beyond. And of course people from around the globe have chosen to make their home here, enriching our culinary repertoire with the flavours of India, the Far East and Africa. I relish all these tastes and traditions – whether in my kitchen at the Fat Duck, enjoying a roast dinner with my family, or sharing a takeaway curry with my wife on a Monday night.' Heston Blumenthal OBE Proprietor, The Fat Duck at Bray Contents How to use Contents A promisepromise ofof qualityquality Taste England here you stay can make that whatever you’re expecting is Dine at the Top Table Heart of England his guide brings together the 6 32 or break a holiday. what you’ll get. best in fine dining, pub grub, Whether you’re looking Of course, quality establishments W ethnic cuisine, local produce, for a no-frills place to lay your of all kinds understand that there’s T cookery classes and workshops around head at the end of a hard day’s no such thing as an average the country. You’ll find full contact sightseeing, or something a little customer, so we’ve taken pains Local Flavours 8 East of England 36 details at the end of each regional more luxurious to cushion you, to pinpoint particular facilities to section, and details of how to get in you want to know exactly what to make choosing accommodation touch with national organisations at the expect from the moment you book even easier for you. For instance, back of the book. We’ve also included your room. All the accommodation if you’ve been exploring in the a recipe from each of England’s Tuck into Tradition London options mentioned in this book great outdoors all day you may 11 40 nine regions, so you can sample the for the new Taste category, which have been checked out and rated need somewhere to dry wet or fantastic range of local tasty dishes on celebrates fine food and drink. You can by our independent assessors, and muddy clothes, so look for Walkers offer from every corner of the country. also invest in the Enjoy England Official all bear the Enjoy England Quality Welcome and Cyclists Welcome To help you choose your destination, Guides to Quality (enjoyenglanddirect. Rose – your assurance that when logos. Ready, Steady, Cook! South West England the regional events diary on page 60 com), which take the worry out of you see it, you know what you’re We even have a Quality Assured 14 44 highlights fairs, festivals, markets and booking accommodation. getting. Visitor Attraction scheme, which more that are must-catch dates for Tourist Information Centres (listed The Quality Rose covers points you towards over 600 every foodie’s diary. Bear in mind that on enjoyengland.com) around the just about every type of brilliant days out at quality- some of the attractions and places country will help you make the most South East England accommodation, from caravan assured visitor attractions England’s Northwest 48 listed in this guide may have seasonal of your stay. There are over 550 in 16 parks to boutique hotels; across the country. And if you opening times, so do check when you England, providing information on farmhouse B&Bs to country house have particular mobility, visual are planning a visit. attractions to discover, places to eat retreats; self-catering cottages to or hearing needs, our National The annual Enjoy England Awards and events around which to plan your canal barges. The clear star and Accessible Scheme or Tourism for Excellence (enjoyengland.com/ break. Many can also help with your North East England Recipes diamond rating, which is the same for All (tourismforall.org.uk) will 20 54 excellence) are announced in April; accommodation reservations. as the ratings system used by the help you get the most out of your these will point you towards the very All web addresses used in this guide AA and the RAC, lets you know holiday. best places to visit and stay. Look out are shown without the prefix www. Our ratings made easy Yorkshire 24 Map 58 + Simple, practical, no frills X Tasty offers ++ Well presented and well run XX For fantastic special offers and discounts from restaurants, +++ Good level of quality and comfort XXX hotels, cookery schools and other food and drink ++++ Excellent standard throughout XXXX East Midlands 28 Events and Useful Organisations 60 +++++ Exceptional with a degree of luxury XXXXX establishments around the country, visit our website: enjoyengland.com/taste 5 Local and luscious The fi ne dining revolution Dine at the toptable Apparently, we each have around 10,000 tastebuds – and that’s just as well because the exciting, varied cuisine on England’s restaurant scene will tingle and tease them all ‘Two of my greatest pleasures in life? Clockwise ellow epicureans, let’s indulge Head Hotel, Great Bircham, Norfolk). Works in Liverpool, or another starry from top left: a few thousand tastebuds right Quite simply, they’ve become the trip out to Juniper, Altrincham (modern Seeing Newcastle United win. And visiting Paul Kitching in action at the Fnow. Imagine, if you will, nitro- main attraction (that’s our excuse for a French cuisine); Midsummer House any one of the “new breed” of restaurants innovative Juniper, green tea and lime mousse, salmon romantic table à deux anyway). Restaurant, Cambridge (Mediterranean); where fresh, local produce is put to such Altrincham poached with liquorice, pine sherbet London continues to be a gourmet or Jessica’s, Birmingham (French- Superb food and fountain, and perhaps a glass of white hotspot – it has more Michelin-starred influenced modern British). brilliant effect by chefs determined to add panoramic views over London at the wine. Yes, we’ve whisked you away eateries than any city other than Paris Cumbria twinkles with Michelin stars: some regional flavour to their menus. iconic Oxo Tower to Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck (40, if you’re making notes), and more restaurants at Sharrow Bay, Miller Howe, Thank goodness at least one of those is on Fine dining or at Bray, voted the best restaurant in than 6,000 restaurants serving around Gilpin Lodge and L'Enclume all come brasserie, whatever the world for its innovative ‘molecular 70 different cuisines, from Italian to with the coveted stars and stunning the rise these days in England. And it isn’t suits your mood at gastronomy’. Even your cousin (the Thai, Indian to Mexican. We’re not accommodation attached. A special Liverpool’s hip the Magpies!’ new establishment, scientific one who is never impressed going to repeat that old cliché ‘you can celebration or an informal weekender? Ian Weightman, communications consultant The London by anything) will love such inventive dine around the world in the capital’, Any time, any place is our motto Carriage Works dishes. And this is just your starter in but you can (and we just have). when it comes to a spot of delicious A flavour of France England’s fine dining revolution. And have you noticed how conviviality – what do you expect from at Elena’s L’Etoile, Twenty years ago eight out of ten many chefs are cooking up a storm the nation that invented afternoon tea Soho, London top chefs in this country were French, outside London, too? These days to fill the gap between the last meal Le Mont – fine food and fine views and we still love Gallic artistes like there’s a Michelin star or three on and the next? Lawyers have overtaken in the heart of Raymond Blanc (Le Manoir aux Quat’ a metaphorical doorstep near you builders as the country’s biggest tea Manchester Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire). countrywide (106 doorsteps to be drinkers, which could explain the Simply the best? But England’s recent culinary boom has exact – keep those notes tidy now). resurgence of the institution at stylish Paul Heathcote been fuelled by some noticeably home- Here you can savour the tastiest of London venues. Might we suggest uses only the best ingredients for his grown British talents: celebrities like local and seasonal fare. How about delicate pastries in the spectacular superb dishes Rick Stein (The Seafood Restaurant, a seaside escape to Torquay, newly Palm Court of The Ritz? And we adore Modern British Padstow), Gordon Ramsay, Anthony crowned with two Michelin-starred fat rascals in elegant Bettys, Harrogate, cuisine at Venn, Flinn (Anthony’s, Leeds), veggie master restaurants – Orestone Manor and as well as ‘Tea with Mr Darcy’ in the Hull, Yorkshire Simon Rimmer (Greens, Manchester) The Elephant Bar and Restaurant. Try new Regency Tea Rooms at The Jane and one-to-watch Ben Handley (King’s the award-winning London Carriage Austen Centre, Bath. Another cup? 66 Regional information enjoyxxxxxxx.com Regional information enjoyxxxxxxx.com Tasty Offers For special offers and discounts visit our website 7 Regional specialities East Midlands Local flavours Fresh, crunchy, succulent, wholesome, local, seasonal: these are some of our favourite foodie words and (we think) the perfect introduction to this dip into home-produced ingredients and specialities f a vegetable could talk (we’re While we’re on the subject of www.cotswoldbreakfast.com Clockwise keeping an open mind on the farms, we’d like to remind you what network, or accommodation from the from top left: matter) it would splutter ‘I’m refreshingly fun places they are to stay Deliciouslyorkshire breakfast scheme? Taste the I countryside with ‘We stayed on a farm and it was great fun exhausted!’ if it had just travelled for a few days.